SIMULTANEOUS INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS BASED ON EPOXY-ACRYLATE COMBINATIONS

Simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks (SINs) based on epoxy/p oly(n-butyl acrylate) systems were synthesized at 120 degrees C. The p olymerization kinetics were studied both in situ by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Three key events occurred during the po lymerization, namely the gelation of the network I, gelation of the ne twork II, and phase separation of one polymer from the other. Thus, me tastable phase diagrams describing the relations between the three eve nts were constructed. Three-dimensional tetrahedrons characterizing th e four-component system (the two monomers and the two polymers) allow the visualization of these three key events and also define some criti cal points, for example, the loci of the points where simultaneous gel ation of the two networks occurs. The inside of the tetrahedron was al so investigated using partially reacted model compounds. These tetrahe drons can be used as guidelines for setting up a synthesis strategy le ading to desired morphologies. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.